Steam separator



Sept. l0, 1940. Fl H. BRowNlNG STEAM SEPARATOR Filed Sept. 14, 1936 2 Shee ts-Sheet 1 mvEN-ron FranklB/fwniny ATTORNEY Sept. 10 1940. F. H.'BRowN|NG 2,214,658

' v STEAM ,sEPARA'roa Filed sept. 14, 195e '2 sheets-sheet 2.

Patented Sept. l0, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEAM SEPARATOR Frank H. Browning, Seattle, Wash.

Application September 14, 1936, Serial No. 100,602

7 Claims.

This invention in general relates to improved means for separating the heavier particles of liquid and solid materials from vapors and gases by centrifugal and vortex actions without moving parts, and ejecting said separated particles into a separate compartment under sufiicient extra pressure to facilitate their removal.

The embodiment of the invention herein illustrated and described pertains especially to the separation of entrained moisture and suspended impurities from steam produced in all kinds of steam generators.

When equipped with my centrifugal vortex separator, steam from the upper steam space of l" the steam generator, or boiler, enters the separator through one or more nozzles near the top of the separator casing, and is discharged tangentially and downwardly into an annular chamber between the outer casing and a downwardly projecting central exit pipe connecting with the main steam outlet pipe of the generator. The steam from each nozzle revolves rapidly through a plurality of revolutions in said annular space in a spiral downward course, thus centrifuging the entrained moisture and dirt outwardly against the inner surface of the casing where it is blown along to a plurality of extraction slots, positioned across the path of travel of said lm in a transition element near the bottom of the casing. The said extraction slots, each preferably provided with a cutting edge, are so proportioned and arranged as to intercept and discharge the moisture and dirt of the aforesaid surface lm into a separate lower compartment below a flow transiy33 tion and partition element, wherein suiiicient extra static pressure is built up to insure its flow back into the boiler proper.

After the cleaned dry steam of the vortex has passed the cutting-edge slots it enters the lower '.10 end of the exit pipe through suitable means adapted to straighten out the rotational now from the vortex to approximately parallel ow through said exit pipe to the other plant equipment. 4.-, An object of the invention is to provide improved, powerful and thorough separating means of the kind described, that is adapted for use Veither within the steam drum of the steam generator or within a housing exterior of but connected to said steam drum.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the kind described that will automatically return the extracted liquid and solid materials to the interior of the steam generator 55 without the use of moving parts or traps.

4Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of the kind described that is simple, compact, and light in weight, that may be easily constructed of inexpensive materials, and that Y can be removed readily during cleaning and in- '5 spection, by passing through steam generator manholes of standard size.

Other objects and advantages of my invention, and its application for separating liquid and dust particles from gases for other industrial processes, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of said invention, which consists ofvcertain parts and combinations of parts, hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and embraced in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation partly in medial section of a simplified form of the device for installation within the steam drum of a boiler of suitable 2i size.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on broken line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the preferred overlapping arrangement of the extraction slots.

Fig. 3 is an elevation mostly on a medial plane :25 at broken line 3-3 of Fig. 4y through ,'a com'- mercial form of the invention to a larger scale adapted to be removably secured to the steam nozzle within the steam space of certain boilers.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the separator housing 30 taken on broken line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5' is a detail in perspective of one of the extraction slots to a larger scale.

Fig. 6 is an elevation mostly on a medial plane through another commercial form of the inven- 35 tion adapted to be attached within the steam drums of existing large boilers.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section on line 1-1 of Fig. 6 showing the relation of the extraction slots to the air-foils or turbine-like blades here used to produce approximately parallel flow.

Fig. 8 is a left hand sectional elevation illustrating one steam dome construction for mounting a simplified form of my vortex separator in separate compartments exterior of Isteam drums of small diameter.

Fig. 8a is a right half sectional elevation illustrating the mounting of the simplified form of my separator in another type of steam dome.

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view of the 50 above taken on broken line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts throughout the drawings, wherein I0 isthe plate of the steam drum, il is the main steam outlet pipe, which in Fig. 1 is illustrated 56 may be provided with a flange II" to which the upper end of exit pipe I2 of the steam separator may be removably secured by means of a plurality of bolts and nuts I3. Said exit pipe is the inner wall, and casing I4 the outer wall of an annular chamber I5, into which steam from the upper space I6 of the steam drum enters through a plurality of nozzles I1, of which head I8 of the separator is the upper wall. Any number of nozzles required to satisfy the uld flow conditions of the design may be used. For most applications I'prefer to use two nozzles in diametrically opposite positions, and so inclined as to discharge the steam tangentially into the aforesaid annular chamber in dual non-interfering downwardlyspiraling contiguous streams, as clearly illustrated in the drawings.

The velocity and momentum of the steam as it leaves the nozzles assures its executing a plurality of revolutions at high velocity in said annular chamber, thus centrifuging the entrained moisture and dirt outwardly against the inner surface of the casing, where, in the'form of a lm, it isv blown around and downwardly until intercepted by a ow transition element in the form of partition plate |94, which contains a plurality of extraction slots 20 positioned directly across the' path of travel of said iilm. l

By the inherent nature of the device, the separating velocity of the steam rotating in the said annular space is independent of its size, for the reason that the ratio of said separating velocity to the discharge velocity in the main steam pipe is determined only by the relative size of the inlet nozzles assigned by the designer.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, with substantially uniform linear flow velocity across the entire discharge area of nozzles I1, the portion of the steam in chamber I5 nearer the exit pipe I2, will revolve at greater angular velocity than the portion near casing I4, thus producing greater centrifugal action on the relatively inner portions throughout the entire distance from the nozzles to transition plate I 9.

The centrifugal force thus produced causes the pressure at the outer wall of the annular chamber to exceed the static pressure at the more central portions of the rotating steam, the total centrifugal side pressure exerted against said outer wall being the sum of the centrifugal effects of all the spinning portions of the aforesaid revolving streams of steam. The centrifugal force thus produced not only throws the moisture and solids of higher specific gravity outwardly from the dryer steam, but also tends to force the steam itself away from the central exit pipe throughout its downward course until it reaches plate I9. Here the transition in flow from the downwardlyspiraling stream into an inwardly contracting spiral spin produces a powerful vortex action above the slots in said partition plate. This results in increasing angular velocities due to the decreasing radii as the spinning steam of the vortex approaches the lower end of the exit pipe,

space I5, the higher ,angular velocity of spin for the smaller radii portions, together with the force of gravity, combine to impinge the iiner and lighter particles of moisture and dirt against the raised sides of the aforesaid slots, through which they are discharged into a lower extraction compartment 2| together with the previously described surface lrn from the inner surface of the casing. Each of the aforesaidraised sides o! extraction slots 20 is provided with afcutting edge 20' proportioned to intercept and deflect the separated moisture and dirt through said slots into said lower extraction compartment which is formed by said transition element and the funnel-like base 22 of the separator shell.

Figures 2 and 7 illustrate the preferred arrangement of the spaced apart and diagonally disposed slots, and show clearly how the steam in the centrifugal vortex whirl must traverse the space above and across said slots before entering the exit' pipe. 'I'he fragmentary section in Fig. 5, illustrates a preferred arrangement and proportion fbr cutting edges 20', the arrows indicating the courses of the steam and of the ejected undesirable materials.

When the rotating steam impinges on these cutting edges set directly in its path, the velocity head is recovered in the form of an increase of static pressure in the extraction slots, nearly equal to the loss of static pressure which was utilized to produce the separating velocity in the annular chamber, because of the very small frictional resistance of the'smooth walls of that chamber. This local' increase of static pressure acts equally in all directions below the knife-edge slots within the extraction compartment, where it is added to the extra casing pressure produced by the vortex centrifugal `force above described, the combination of which produces a greater pressure in the extraction compartment 2I than exists in steam spaceA I5` ofv the 'separating chamber above. Said greaterlcombined pressure is sufiicient to eject the moisture and impurities from the extraction compartment backv into the steam generator, preferably through a drain pipe 23 which may terminate in an openl top vessel 24, that is normally filled with .water or continually submerged beneath the surface o f the water 25 in the steam drum to form a water seal. If desired, instead of using the construction illustrated, the drain pipe may conduct the moisture and impurities into the feed-water pan, not shown, or to some other convenient part of the generator where little or nosteam is produced, and where the direction of ow and the surges within the boiler will not interfere withv the return of the extracted moisture and impurities.

After the cleaned dry steam passes over the cutting edges of slots 2B, vthe-steam enters the lower end of the exit pipe through a scroll of vanes 25, flxedly secured within said pipe to straighten out the ow from the centrifugal vortex to approximately parallel flow through the main steam outlet pipe. f

It will be apparent that the vortex of high velocity and lower static pressure acts like the throat of the well known Venturi tube.' and .the n diffusion vanes in the exit pipe act like the enlarging cone following the Venturi throat to reduce r let pipe, thus reducing the loss in static pressure aanwasy nozzlesV of the separator is illustrated in Fig. 1 byv the light solid lines carrying arrowheads. The.

dotted arrow. lines. associated. therewith indicate the course of the separated entrained moisture and impurities` through the annular separating chamber into the extraction compartment andtheir return to the boiler. The solidy arrow lines in the said figure also indicate the passage of clean steam. to and through the main steam pipe.

In utilizing the combination of coacting elements herein described, certain structural modifications are desirable for the various commercial sizes of steam generators and rates of ysteam flow as illustrated in the other figures of the drawings, the essentially equivalent parts of theseveral forms being designated byy the same-'reference numerals used in describing the form shown in Figures l and 2.

For moderate rates of steam flow through the device, I prefer to use the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, wherein the form of nozzles I1 has been modified to` permit the device to pass through the manhole, not shown, that is provided as standard practice in steam drum I0. Fig. 3 illustrates a preferred means of securing the exit pipe of the steam separator to the boiler nozzle 21, flxedly secured to the steam drum by means of rivets 28. This comprises forming a flange I2f at the upper end of the exit pipe I2 and providing apertures therein for stud bolts 29, so that a collar 39 and nuts 3I may be used to hold the end of the pipe against the inner end of the boiler nozzle.

The exterior steam pipe II may beV secured to the upper end of the boiler nozzle by any approved means. In Fig. 3 flange IIf is shown welded to said steam pipe fand secured to the upper ange 2'If of the nozzle by means oi bolts and nuts 3 I, a ygasket 32 of suitable material being used to make the joint stgam tight.

The scroll of vanes 26 "for the form shown in Fig. 3 may be built around a central cylindrical core 33, and is xedly secured within exit pipe I2, preferably by welding. Partition plate I9 and closure base 22 are provided with flanges I9f and 22jl respectively, and are removably secured to casing flange I4f by means of stud bolts and nuts 34. Transition plate I9 may be secured also at its center to the threaded end of core 33 by means of cap screw 35. This prevents the center portion of said plate from vibrating and greatly strengthens the entire interior structure of the separator.

The aforesaid closure base of the separator shell is provided with a threaded boss 22h adapted to receive the threaded end of drain pipe 23, in which suitable vanes 36 are nxedly secured to reduce the amount of spin of the ejected material and to facilitate its passage into said drain pipe.

In Fig. 6 is shown a bushing adapter 31 for an old boiler nozzle 21 that may be forced into the taper of said nozzle after being coated with a suitable plastic cement, and held in place by a plurality of dowel pins 39. 'I'he form of separator illustrated in this figure of the drawings is similar in construction to that shown in Fig. 3, but is adapted for use in larger boilers and higher rates of steam flow.

In this form, instead of a scroll of vanes I prefer to use a plurality of air foils, or turbine-like blades, 26 the upper ends of which are iixedly secured to the specially flanged lower end I2' of exit pipe I2, preferably by welding. 'I'he lower ends ofy said bladesl are likewise xedly secured to the curved ange portieri 39' oi'l conical element 39. The arrangement ofthisair foilassembly is adapted to straighten out the relatively large volumesof steam in the previously described vortex whirl with a minimum of resistance to they flow of the steam into the exit pipe, from which it flows into the exterior steam pipe as in theother forms of the device. The arrangement of said air foils with reference to extraction slots 20 in transition plate I9 is shown clearly in Fig. 7.

Transition plate rI9 may be removably secured to flange 39 by means of cap screws 35. Its flange I9! and flanged closure base 22 of the separator shell ,are removably secured to the casing flange by means of stud bolts as in the form previously described. Where larger quantities of moisture and dirt are ejected, I prefer to use a plurality of vanes 36' welded to the aforesaid closure base to reduce the amount of' spin of the ejected matter and to facilitate its passage down drain pipe 23.

Where the steam drum is too small, or for any other rea-son it is impracticable to place the centrifugal vortex separator within the steam drum, it may be installed in a small steam dome aillxed thereto for that purpose. In each of Fig. 8 and Fig. 8a of' the drawings, a simplified form of' the separator, similar to that shown in Fig. l, is illustrated in association with a typical form of steam dome, each being shown in half sectional elevation with reference a half of said separator.

In the form shown in the half sectional elevation to the left of the separator in Fig. 8, a suitable dome housing 40 is provided with an upper flange 40 and a lower flange 40", the latter being used to secure the housing to boiler nozzle 21 by means of bolts 3i', gasket 32 being used to provide a steam tight joint. 'I'he top of saiddome housing is closed by means of a head 4I removably secured to upper fiange 40 by means of bolts and nuts 42 using gasket 43 to seal the joint. The separator is supported from said head by welding exit pipe I2 thereto as indicated at 44. Nozzles I'I' are shaped to fit snugly within the steam dome as shown in Fig. 9, and are adapted to facilitate the flow of' steam from the steam drum as indicated by the arrows shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

In the half sectional elevation to the right of the separator in Fig. 8a, the steam dome shell 45 is flanged at its lower end to fit directly on steam drum I 0, to which itis flxedly secured in the usual way by means of rivets 46. The upper end of said steam dome shell may be flanged the same as for the other form, thus enabling the separator to be inserted from the top and the dome closed by means of head 4I, gasket 43, and bolts and nuts 42, as previously described.

The arrow lines in the separate halves shown in 8 and 8a indicate the double spiral flow of the steam through the separator and above slotted transition plate I9, where the steam flows into the lower end of exit pipe I2 and the separated materials are ejected intoextraction compartment 2I for return to the boiler'through pipe 23, as previously explained. I

While I have illustrated and described several modifications of my invention for separating entrained moisture and solids from steam, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that said modifications do not change either the relation betweenor functions of the coacting elements, and that still other modifications may be made in the several parts to better adapt the device fora particular application, and for the extraction of undesirable matter of higher specific grav- -ity from various 'other fluids without `departing from the purpose and intent of the invention as embraced in the Iappended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protectby Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the kind described, the combination of an outer casing and an inner exit pipe projecting into said casing to form an annular chamber, an inlet nozzle at one end of said chamber for directing fluid flow tangentially and toward the opposite end into said chamber in a spinning continuous stream to form a centrifugal vortex adjacent the interior end of said exit pipe, a partition in spaced apart relation to said end of the exit pipe and containing a plurality of extraction slots, an extraction compartment on the opposite side of said partition to receive the spinning centrifuged matter of higher specific gravity ejected through said slotsa conduit for draining said extraction compartment, and vane means in said compartment to reduce the amount of spin of said ejected matter and to facilitate its passage into said conduit.

2. In a device of the kind described, the combination of an outer casing, an exit pipe for the cleaned fluid, means for imparting a rotary motion to the entering uid to assist in forming a centrifugal vortex whirl adjacent the end of said exit pipe, structural means assisting in directing said fluid in rotary motion into said vortex whirl and containing a plurality of extraction slots having raised edges adapted to intercept the centrifuged denser portion of the fluid ofsaid vortex whirl containing dross material and to convert the velocity head of the intercepted fluid into extra pressure in said slots to expel the separated material; and curved vane means adapted to straighten out the rotary ow of said vortex whirl to approximately parallel ilow as the fluid enters said exit pipe to recover the velocity head of said fluid in rotary motion.

3. In a centrifugal vortex separator| the combination of an outer casing and an exit pipe projecting into said casing to form therewith an annular chamber, a plurality of inlet nozzles at one axial end of said chamber for directing fluid flow tangentially and toward the opposite end into said chamber in separate non-interfering spiralling contiguous streams to assist in forming a centrifugal vortex whirl adjacent the end of said exit pipe, structural means forming one wall of an extraction compartment and containing a plurality of extraction slots having raised edges adapted to intercept the centrifuged denser portion of the fluid 0f said vortex Whirl containing dross material and to convert the velocity head of the intercepted fluid into extra pressure in and below said slots to force the extracted matter of higher specific gravity into said extraction compartment.

4. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a vertically disposed outer casing and an inner exit pipe projecting into said casing to form therewith an annular chamber, means for imparting a rotary motion to the entering fluid to assist in forming a centrifugal vortex whirl adjacent the end of said exit pipe, a partition element containing a plurality of spaced apart and diagonally disposed extraction slots posiannee` aci-Siehe path 'of sewer-'the centrifuged denser portion of the fluid in said 'vortex' whirl, said slotshaving raised edges adapted to intercept said centrifuged denser portion of the fluid of said vortex -whirl containing dross material and vto' convert the velocity head of the intercepted iluid into extra pressure in said slots, and an extraction ycompartment below said partition element for receiving the extracted matter oi' higher specific gravity.

5. Inf a separator, the combination of a verticallyA disposed substantially cylindrical casing, an exit/pipe extending into said casing coaxial therewith, to form an annular chamber, inlet means at-.the upper end of said chamber constructed to'introduce fluid tangentially into said chamber, a partition plate adjacent the lower end of the exit pipe forming upper and lower compartments in said casing, said partition plate containing a plurality of slots which form the inlet to said lower compartment, said slots havingraised edges adapted to intercept a portion of the revolving fluid stream containing dross material, whereby the velocity headof the intercepted fluid is converted into back pressure in the lower compartment so that the heavier dross material passes through the slots to the lower compartment with a sufficient amount of lighter fluid to maintain the back pressure in the lower compartment.

6. Ina separator, the combination of a vertically disposed substantiallyV cylindrical casing, an exit pipe extending into said casing coaxial therewith, to form an annular chamber, nozzle means at the upper end of said chamber constructed to introduce fluid tangentlally into said chamber, a partition plate adjacent the lower end of the exit pipe forming upper and lower compartments in said casing, said partition plate containing a plurality of slots which form the inlet to said lower compartment, said slots having raised edges adapted to intercept a portion of the revolving iiuid stream containing dross material, whereby the velocity head of the intercepted fluid is converted into back pressure in l the lower compartment so that the heavier dross material passes through the slots to the lower compartment with a suiilcient amount of lighter uid to maintain the back pressure in the lower compartment.

7. In a separator, the combination of a vertically disposed substantially cylindrical casing, an exit pipe extending into said casing coaxial therewith, to form an annular chamber, inlet means at the upper end of said chamber constructed to introduce fluid tangentially into said chamber, a partition plate adjacent the lower end of the exit pipe forming upper and lower compartments in said casing, said partition plate containing a plurality of diagonal slots which form the inlet to said lower compartment, said slots having raised edges adapted to intercept a portion of the revolving fluid stream containing dross material, whereby the velocity head of the intercepted fluid is converted into back pressure in the lower compartment so that the heavier dross material passes through the slots to the lower compartment with a suiiicient amount of lighter fluid to maintain the back pressure inthe lower compartment.

FRANK H. BROWNING. 

